To Save A Family
by Lilmonkey1507
Summary: Captain Miller gets word right before search for Ryan that his beloved youngest daughter is missing ran away from home and his son is MIA. How will be be able to concentrate on finding Ryan? Chapter 4 is where the movie starts coming in! Please review!
1. Bethany Trouble

**Disclaimer: I do not own Saving Private Ryan.**

**AN: Ok so this story just came to me and I was like yeah! I get to write another Saving Private Ryan fic! Hope you enjoy it! **

**Oh and the first few chapters will be prewar. Want to see what you think of my new character first! And to see what you think of her relationship with her family. Let me know what you all think!**

John Miller was once again late for his teaching job at Thomas Alva Edison High School. Once again it was because of his daughter Bethany. But this time it wasn't because she over slept, or because her brother, Billy had put all of her clothes in the shower. No this time it was because she was pregnant. John's little angel was pregnant at the age of seventeen. He couldn't believe it. He had always wanted grandchildren, but not yet. Not by his youngest child. His oldest daughter had just gotten married a few months earlier. Why Couldn't it have been Brandy. As he drove to work he couldn't think of any thing else except his sweet little Bethany. His favorite memories of those seventeen years raced through his head.

"Its a girl." The doctor said to John and his wife. He had a nurse wrap the baby girl in a blanket and hand her to John.

"Hey baby girl." John said looking down at her with so much love, it filled the whole hospital room. That was his baby girl and the whole world was going to know it. He bent down to his wife and kissed her sweaty forehead.

"She's perfect Osil." He said perfectly.

"She'd better be perfect." Osil said moving her black hair out of her face. "I didn't go through fourteen hours of labor for a baby less than perfect."

John kissed the baby lightly. "What are we going to name her?"

Osil smiled up at her husband. "You have the honor. I named our last two."

John looked at the small baby in his arms and smiled again. "Bethany. Bethany Jane."

"Bethany Jane Miller." Osil said with a smile. "Welcome to the world Beth."

"Daddy!" A six year old Bethany called as he picked her up from school. Billy and Brandy weren't far behind her. But to them having their goofy ol dad picking them up from school wasn't cool. "Daddy I drew you a picture!"

"Dad!" Your embarrassing me!" ten year old Bethany demanded. "You don't have to walk me up to the school any more. I'm not five!"

John hadn't even taken a step out of the car before she demanded this. "Ok, ok. Sorry Beth." John said with a sigh. His youngest daughter was growing out of needed her dear old dad. Bethany started to head up to the school then paused. She looked around then raced back to the car. She opened the passenger door, crawled in and gave John a peck on the cheek. "I love you Daddy."

"Love you too, Bethany." John replied as the girl raced back to the school.

"I didn't do it!" Fourteen year old Bethany demanded as the Science teacher drug Bethany into John's room. John had just been explaining Beowulf to his class. He looked up and sighed.

"Come sit Bethany." John said not to happy. Bethany sat in his chair as he went to talk to Mr. Fisher.

"What did she do this time?" John asked.

"Glued her brother's chair. Billy is in the nurses station getting the chair detached." Mr. Fisher said annoyed beyond believe. "I've had it with that girl John! Do something about her or I'll make sure she gets expelled."

"Dont be so hasty Mark." John said trying to keep his cool. "She's just a rambunctious freshman. She'll grow out of it."

Mr. Fisher rolled his eyes. "Your son is fine by the way. Just thought I'd let you know how your other child is."

Mr. Fisher walked away and John walked back into his class to see Bethany standing at the chock board.

"No, I'm telling you all, Grendal is just a misunderstood beast. He was tricked into what he did. And Beowulf is no hero. He's a self confident jerk that had a string of good luck."

"Bethany." John said trying his hardest to look ticked at her. Bethany jumped at her fathers voice.

"Sorry Daddy." Bethany said as she sat back down in his chair. John looked up at his board and smiled. Bethany had written down what she thought her key points in Beowulf for his students to copy. She wasn't too far off. She would be an English teacher for sure.

John looked up from the paper at his seventeen year old daughter. Billy was watching her closely as well. Except Billy looked concerned.

"Bethany?" John said putting his paper down. Bethany looked up at him. Her dark green eyes welled up with tears.

"Daddy. I need to tell you and mom something." Bethany said. Billy took his hand in his and nodded for her to go on. Osil stopped washing dishes and came to sit at the table.

"Daddy, I'm pregnant." Bethany said not taking her eyes off him. John's heart stopped. He couldn't believe what she had just said.

"What!" Osil shouted. "Bethany what were you thinking!"

Bethany ignored her mother and watched John closely. "Daddy?"

"Yeah Bethany. I heard you." John said finally able to take a breath. "What are you and Jonah going to do about this?"

"John!" Osil said in shock. "You know Damn well what they are going to do about this!"

"Osil, let Bethany talk." John said calmly. "This is her mistake. And I want to know what the hell she thinks she'll do about it."

Bethany took a deep breath. "I'm marrying him Daddy. We already picked a date. He had money saved for college and has already bought a small house on the out skirts of town. Next to the train tracks."

"You can't live by the train with a baby." Osil said sadly. She opened her mouth but John interrupted her.

"Then that's what you'll do." John said getting to his feet. He grabbed his things and headed for the door.

"Daddy!" Bethany said rushing up to him and hugging him tightly. "Daddy, I'm scared."

"I know Beth." John said detaching his daughter from him. Without saying another word he walked out the door and headed for work.

When he got home from work that night, he didn't want to discuss the Bethany situation. Every one in town had already heard about it. The Miller's youngest knocked up by the preacher's son. It was all any one asked him about all day. But the moment he walked in the front door, Bethany was going to be the first thing talked about. Sitting on his livingroom couch were Jonah's parents. Bethany and Jonah were sitting on the top stairs listening in on the conversation Osil and Jonah's parents were having. John glanced up at the two kids, to let them know he had seen them, then headed into the livingroom.

"John this is a nightmare!" Rita demanded. "What are you going to do with your daughter!"

"Bethany has told me they want to get married." John replied sitting in the only chair left.

"We won't have it!" Frank demanded. "Our son is only eighteen tears old! I will not have him marrying some floozy!"

John shot the man a look, but Osil quickly grabbed his hand. "Now Frank, Bethany can't do this by herself. Two people made that baby. Two people should take care of it."

Rita snorted. "Our son is going to be a doctor."

"And our Bethany a teacher. What's your point Rita? That your son is too good for our daughter? Because if that's the case I want you the hell out of my house!"

Frank's face turned red. "How dare you talk that way to us! We have done nothing, but treat Bethany like one of our own."

"Then let them get married." John said with a sigh. "Your a preacher. Why marry them right here? They already have a place to live. Marry them today and let them live their lives."

"They are just children John." Rita said sadly.

"They past childhood the moment they made one themselves." John demanded. "Marry them Frank or I'll take them somewhere tonight to get married."

"Fine." Frank said angrily. Bethany and Jonah raced down the stairs along with Billy.

"Dad! You can't be serious!" Billy demanded. John have him a annoyed look. Billy just bowed his head. He knew better than push his father.

"Jonah James Kealer, do you take this woman to be your wife for richer or poorer, for better or for worse." Frank said still red in the face.

"I do."

"Bethany Jane Miller do you take this man to be your husband. For richer or poorer, for better or for worse?" Frank asked.

"I do."

"In the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife." Frank demanded taking his wife's arm in his hand and drug her out. Jonah watched his parents go. His father didn't even say you may kiss the bride.

"We don't even have rings." Jonah said sadly.

Osil held out her hand to him. Confused Jonah took what she had in her hand. He was surprised to see two gold bands.

"They were extra ones Brandy and Greg had gotten encase Matt lost the others." Osil said watching the two teens place the rings around each others left ring finger. Osil hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead. "Congratulations honey."

Osil walked up the stairs and they heard her slam her bedroom door behind her. Bethany walked up to John and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you daddy." Bethany said. John just nodded and followed his widest lead. He wasn't proud of what he had just done, but it was needed to make Bethany happy.

"You spoil her." Osil demanded. "Since the day she was born. What about our other two children John? Do you even know where Brandy and Greg are right now for their honeymoon? Do you even know who Billy's girlfriend is?"

"Of course I do." John lied. He knew it was wrong to favor a child. But Bethany was his little girl. She was always by his side growing up. And Osil was always hard on her. She was a trouble maker, but John understood her better than Osil did. Brandy was the perfect child. Never got into trouble. Billy was the only boy and was a mommy's boy. He did anything Osil asked of him. Bethany had always been the black sheep of the three. And growing up so was he.

"I just hope you had done the right thing John." Osil said with a sigh. "Because if it doesn't, the Kealers are the last people you will have to worry about. Because you'll be sleeping on the couch for a week."

"Only a week?" John teased.

"Don't push me John."


	2. Motherhood Not So Easy

"Jonah! Can't you shut her up!" Bethany demanded as she rubbed her temples. Her three month old baby had been wailing for almost thirty minutes none stop. She had fed her, changed her and played with her. Yet the baby wouldn't stop crying.

"I'm trying Beth!" Jonah growled. "Your the mother this is your job as well!"

Beth turned on him. "How dare you even say that to me! I've been with her all day! You were off working at your so called job!"

Jonah set the crying baby back into her cradle. "Dont even go their Bethany! You know I'm doing my best to put food on this table! What have you done all day huh? This house is a mess. I have no clean clothes in for tomorrow. And I'm sure you wore that dress yesterday!"

Bethany got to her feet and threw an empty baby bottle at him. "I've been taken care of your child! Thanks to you we have a daughter remember!"

"If I remember right you had a part in that as well!" Jonah demanded over the baby's cry.

"I wanted to wait you bastard!" Bethany demanded. "But no! One time and boom, I become pregnant!"

"Hey, Hey, Hey!" John yelled walking in on the house. He walked right up to the crib and picked up his granddaughter. He glared at both Bethany and Jonah before he started to calm the baby.

"Now angel what's wrong?" John cooed. He patted the baby's back as he turned on his daughter. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Nothing." Bethany demanded. She crossed her arms over her chest and walked to her room. She slammed the door and slid down it as the tears began to flow. John then turned to Jonah.

"Dont look at me." Jonah demanded. "She's been like this all week! I come home, the house is a mess, and the baby is crying."

The baby let out a small burp and slowly stopped crying. John cradled her in his arms and rocked her. "That's my girl Naomi." John said with a smile. John wasn't too fond of the name chosen for his daughter, but it came from one of Jonah's favorite bible story. Bethany let Jonah name her. Just like Osil let him name Bethany. Now his granddaughter would have to live with the name Naomi Mae for the rest of her life.

"Something is wrong John." Jonah said with a heavy sigh. John sighed heavily.

"I know Jonah. And I wish there was something I could do." John said handing a sleeping baby back to Jonah. "I need to talk with Bethany."

He knocked on the bedroom door then walked in with out an answer. He found Bethany curled up in the fetal position on the floor.

"Oh Beth." John helped her to her feet and led her to the bed. "Whats wrong?"

"Nothing Daddy." Bethany replied. But John didn't believe her.

"You tell me what's wrong." John said sternly.

Bethany sighed as she began to cry again. "Oh Daddy I don't know! I should be happy. I have a beautiful baby girl, a husband I love, and a home. But I'm miserable."

John petted her hair lightly. The way he used to when she was a young child, and woke up from a nightmare. "You just need to get out more. Let your mother and I take Naomi for tonight. You and Jonah go out. Have some fun."

Bethany shook her head, but knew her father wasn't going to let up on her. "I guess Jonah really deserves it. I haven't been the best wife the last few days."

"Thats my girl." John said with a smile. "Now get up and put on a good dress. I'll go tell Jonah."

John walked out to find Jonah rocking Naomi and singing to her. John stood back and watched his young son in law. He was tall. At least six foot four. He had sandy brown hair which he passed down to Naomi. She had also gotten his long nose and freckles.

"She'll be out in a couple minutes." John said walking up to Jonah. "Osil and I will watch Naomi tonight. You two go out and have some fun."

Jonah sighed heavily. "I have no clean shirts."

John smiled. "Dont worry about it. When you bring Naomi over, I'll give you some of my old shirts."

Jonah smiled weakly. "Thank you John."

That next morning John got up early. Naomi had woken up around seven. And since Osil got up most of the night to take care of her, he decided it was his turn. He had just finished feeding her when a very warn Jonah walked in the back kitchen door.

"Have fun last night?" John asked with a smirk. Jonah shook his head.

"I can't find Bethany." Jonah admitted. "I turned my back on her for a second and she was gone."

John sighed heavily. "I'll go wake up Billy. He can help you look for her."

"Thank you John." Jonah said in relief. He took Naomi from John.

"Billy, Billy wake up son." John said shaking his son away. Billy woke with a start. "Get dressed. Bethany is missing."

Billy groaned. "Damn her."

John didn't even scold his son for cursing he was thinking the exact same thing.

They looked everywhere for Bethany but never found her. Till she walked in the door around eight that night.

"Where the hell have you been!" John demanded at the sight of her. "Do you realize that your daughter is hungry? Or that we've been looking for you all day!"

Bethany rolled her. "Sorry dad. I ran into some old friends. I just wanted to be a teenager again."

"Well your not a teenager any more!" John growled. "You are a god Damn mother! Start acting like it!"

John turned and walked away. Every one was silent. John had never raised his voice to Bethany. If he was ever upset with her, he just gave her the silent treatment for a while.

"Wow the favored Bethany just got yelled at." Billy teased, breaking the silence.

"Screw you!" Bethany demanded storming out of the house. Leaving with out Jonah or Naomi.

On Naomi's second birthday John got a letter in the mail. He knew what the letter was but he didn't want to open it. Not on his granddaughter's big day. He walked out into the back yard that was filled with family and friends of Naomi's.

Naomi made an odd noise that sounded like a mixture of a grunt and an excited yell. seeing John. He smiled and picked up the young girl. He signed to her while asking her what he signed. "Where's your mother?"

Naomi shrugged sadly. It looked like Bethany had done her disappearing act once again. John was getting really sick of it. Naomi needed her mother and John was tired of her just dropping Naomi off at his house. Jonah cut back on his work days just to make sure that some one was with Naomi. When Naomi was seven months old she went deaf. The stress of raising a deaf child was too much for Bethany.

"Billy?" John called over to his son. Billy walked over with his girlfriend, Sarah. She had once been Bethany's best friend in high school. "Have you seen your sister?"

"Nope." Billy said annoyed. "And on her daughter's birthday."

"I saw her yesterday." Sarah offered. "She was walking with Marcus Noveles and Betty Newborn into Clovers."

John shook his head. "Lets just make this a good day for Naomi."

"Agreed." Billy said leading Sarah to where Naomi was playing with some friends.

Later that night Bethany walked into the house. She smiled at Naomi, but the girl turned away from her. Bethany walked up to her and placed a present down in front of her. Naomi smiled and quickly opened the present. It was a baby doll Naomi had been asking for for weeks. Naomi signed thank you over and over again. Bethany kissed her forehead then sent the girl to the next room.

"Where have you been this time Beth?" John asked very annoyed at her. "Or should I even ask."

"If you must know I was doing odd jobs around town the last few days so I could buy Naomi that doll." Bethany replied. John was a little surprised by that. But he also knew Bethany couldn't afford that doll on Jonah's pay. "I did try and get here for the party, but I wasn't coming home with out that doll."

John smiled but it soon faded when he saw the open letter on the table in front of him. Bethany spotted it as well. "No, Dad you can't go! I need you here!"

"I have no choice Beth." John said with a sigh. "I'll be gone for quite some time. And you need to promise me something."

"Of course any thing." Bethany said trying her hardest not to cry.

"Be there for Naomi." John replied. "I know your only nineteen and want to have fun still. But that child needs her mother. No more of this running off and leaving Naomi with your mother. Mom is already upset about this. So don't make it worse."

"Yeah ok." Bethany said a little grudgingly. "You're talking like I'm a casing stress for every one."

John sighed and stood up. "You are."


	3. Taking The Place Of A Brother

**AN: Wow another chapter up today! I'm excited. Never wrote a story this fast! Hope you've all enjoyed it! Oh and after this chapter I'm going back to calling Captain Miller well Miller lol writing John is confusing me a little. Hope for some reviews! Let me know what you all think!**

Captain John Miller read over the letters again. He tried to hold back tears but wasn't doing a very good job at it. Usually Osil's letters were filled with random stories of Naomi. Or how Billy married Sarah two days before he enlisted and was also being sent to England. Or that Jonah had also enlisted and was already in England. John watched for him. Every time he saw a tall soldier he always checked to see if he was Jonah. It never was him. But this letter in his hands made John want to find Jonah twice as bad.

_My Dearest John,_

_I wish I could start this letter on a happy note, but I just can't. Bethany and Sarah have run away with Naomi. They have been gone a little over a month. I have not heard anything of Jonah and neither have his parents. Billy is being sent to England tomorrow. But I haven't seen him since Sarah left._

_Please be safe over there. And please if you see Jonah, let him know about Bethany and Naomi. And look out for our Billy. He's not as brave as you. _

_All my love darling,_

_Osil_

John sighed and tucked the letter into his breast pocket. He couldn't believe Bethany had run away. With all the stupid things she had done in her life, this would top them all. He stood up ignoring Horvath calling after him and walked up to come Captains talking in a small group.

"Captain Miller." Captain Johnston greeted along with the others.

"Do any of you have a Private Jonah Kealer in your unit?" John asked.

"Yeah Stilts." Captain Lewis said with a smile. "He's in my unit."

"Can you bring him her for a second?" John asked. Lewis gave him an odd look. "Its about his wife and daughter."

"What did the girl do this time?" Lewis asked with a smirk. "Jonah says she's a wild one."

"That woman is my daughter Captain." John said and Lewis dropped his head.

"Sorry Miller. Didn't realize." Lewis said. "I'll send Jonah up right away."

Lewis headed off and a few seconds later Jonah was standing in front of him.

"John." Jonah said in surprise. "Oh sorry Captain Miller. Um Captain Lewis said you wanted to talk to me Sir."

"Sit down Jonah." John said with a heavy sigh. When Jonah sat John went on. "Uh this isn't going to be easy for me to say. But um... Bethany and Sarah ran off with Naomi. Osil hasn't seen them for about a month now."

Jonah shook his head. "I should have known she would have done something like that."

"I know son. I'm sorry." Miller said. "Oh and write your parents. I don't want any more letters from my wife telling me your parents haven't heard from them."

"Yes sir." Jonah replied. He turned and walked away. John went back to his unit where Horvath was waiting no him.

"What was all that about?" He asked when John sat down next to him.

"He's me son-in-law." John replied. "My daughter ran off. Thought he should know."

"Damn." Horvath said watching Jonah sit down at a table and start to write a letter.

John looked around at all the men who had made if safely through the invasion. There were a lot of men. But there were still a lot of lives lost.

He twirled the letter he had in his hand. He knew it couldn't be good news. His wife's usual neat handwriting was wobbly like her hand had been shaking. Taking a deep breath he opened the letter.

_John,_

_You find her and get her back home! Do you realize how stupid your daughter is! She's over there in that stupid war passing as Billy! _

_Billy sent me a letter to day explaining everything. I enclosed it. _

_John you bring that girl home now!_

John's hands started to shake. He couldn't out Bethany with out getting both her and Billy in trouble. He opened the other letter and read it slowly.

_Dear Mother,_

_I'm sorry for what Bethany and I have done. We didn't do it to harm you. But please hear us out. Sarah and I have run off to Canada with Naomi. Bethany has taken my place in the army. She said it was to save a family. She didnt want to tell any one this, because she didn't want you to think less of Jonah, but Jonah has been seeing some one else. They were splitting up right before Jonah enlisted._

_Tell dad that she will be ok. She is more like him than we all know. _

_Love, _

_Billy._

John crumbled the letter and threw it. How could she have done something like this. He found Horvath to tell him about the mission to Neuville. He almost missed Captain Lewis calling his name.

"Miller." Lewis said handing him a dog tag. "I'm sorry."

Lewis walked away and John looked down at the dog tag.

**Jonah James Kealer**

"Damn." Miller said tucking the tag into his pocket. Horvath gave him a funny look. "Son-in-law."

"Your family seems to be getting hit hard by this." Horvath said and John shrugged it off.

"Jonah was cheating on my daughter." John said like that didn't bother him. Then his face fell. "Bethany is here some where. Took Billy's place."

Horvath's jaw dropped. "Well then there is some one you should see."

Horvath lead him to a group of soldiers who were talking about home, and what they missed most. They seemed to pick on one guy the most.

"Private Billy Miller!" Horvath said. A small looking soldier stood up.

"Sargent Horvath." The boy replied standing up straight. Horvath turned to John.

"This young man saved my neck twice." Horvath said patting him on the shoulder. "Got a good son here Miller."

Horvath winked at John then walked off to let John talk to his daughter. John look his daughter by the arm and lead her to a place they couldn't be over heard.

"What the hell is running through your head Bethany?" John demanded. "Do you realize what kind of trouble you could get into if some one found out who you are!"

Bethany smiled up at her father. "Yeah I've missed you too Daddy."

John brought his daughter into a hug. He couldn't even stay mad at her. He was to excited to have his daughter with him again.

"Who's your CO?" Miller asked.

"Davis." Bethany replied. Miller nodded. He should have known that. She was trying to pass as Billy.

"They all know I'm not Billy." Bethany replied. "Davis as well."

"And they still let you in!" John said in surprise.

"Apparently Billy had approved." Bethany said with a giggle. "Must have been all those years playing war with my dad and brother."

John laughed. "With water balloons and pea shooters."

"So what's your next mission?" John asked. Bethany shrugged.

"Dont have many soldiers left. Only a hand full of us made it." Bethany said sadly. "Davis thinks we'll be split up. Sent to other units."

"You'll be in mine." John said leading Bethany back to Captain Davis.

"You can have her, Miller." Davis said before John could open his mouth. "Already started the paper work."

"Thank you Davis." John replied and Davis smiled at him.

"No need. I have a daughter too." Davis replied. "That and I'm tired of her belly aching."

"I was an angel compared to Jones." Bethany demanded.

"Hey watch it missy." Jones said with a chuckle. "I may accidentally sniper your ass when you walk away."

"You wish." Bethany replied back.

"Captain, you sure did raise good kids." Jones said with a smile. "I enjoyed serving with both Bill and Beth."

"See ya later boys." Bethany said waving goodbye to her men. They all waved goodbye giving her some sort of last teasing while they had the chance. John looked down at his daughter and smirked.

"What?" Bethany asked smiling back.

"I should have known you'd make friends with all them." John replied. "Lets just hope you fit in with my men. Oh and stay away from Reiben, Caparzo, and Mellish... Make that all my men."

Bethany laughed. "Ok dad. I guess if I want to talk I'll just do sign language."

"Sound good to me." John said with a smirk. He then took the dog tag out of his pocket. "There is something else you should know."

Bethany pushed the tag back at him. "I already know. I was inches away from him."

John looked down at his daughter sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Dont be." Bethany replied sadly. "We were splitting up. He fell in love with another girl. I knew it would happen."

"Your a strong girl." John said with a smirk. "Where did you get that from?"

"Oh I don't know." Bethany said with a giggle. "My father maybe."


	4. Big Words Impress Him

"Men, I'd like you to meet a new member of our team." Miller said walking up with Bethany. "This is my daughter, Bethany Kealer."

"You married?" a good looking man asked. Bethany noticed her farther glare the man down.

"Awe. You must be Reiben." Bethany said with a smirk. "Recently widowed actually."

"Awe Captain, I'm touched." Reiben said with a smirk. "You've already warned her about me."

Miller winked down at his daughter. "That I did Private. And I thought you weren't going to talk."

Bethany signed sorry. Then a few more things that caused Miller to laugh. The men looked confused but neither Captain Miller or Bethany were going to let on about what she had said.

"Bethany, I'd like you to meet, Sargent Mike Horvath, Stanley Mellish, Adrian Caparzo, Daniel Jackson, Irwin Wade, Tim Upham, and of course, Richard Reiben." Miller introduced.

"Nice to meet you all." Bethany said.

"So Bethany where you from?" Jackson asked with his best charming smile. Bethany just giggled.

"If my father didn't tell you, then I'm not going to either." Bethany replied. The men groaned. "Sorry boys."

"Did you tell her we'd ask or something?" Mellish asked and Miller smirked.

"Nope. She just knows me well." Miller replied. "Alright men. Lets move out."

They hadn't walked to far before Mellish and Caparzo started questioning Bethany.

"So Bethany, how did you get into the war?" Caparzo asked. Miller glanced over his shoulder and caught Bethany sign to him.

_Should I answer truthfully? Or mess around with them?_

"Your choice Beth." Miller replied getting out his canteen. He was about to take a drink when Bethany answered.

"I slept with the right people." Bethany replied causing Miller to choke on his water. He turned to look at her while the rest of the men fell silent. Bethany was almost rolling on the ground with laughter.

"Bethany!" Miller warned.

"Sorry Sir." Bethany replied. "But you gave me the choice to mess with them or tell them the truth."

"Well next time lie a little less." Miller said sternly. "I don't need that vision in my head. And I sure don't want it in my men's heads."

"To late Captain." Caparzo replied. Miller rolled his eyes. He was actually surprised Reiben hadn't had a comment first.

"Well any way. I actually traded places with my brother. Before he got shipped to England, I took his place and he's home with his wife and my little girl."

"How did you pass as your brother?" Jackson asked and Miller decided to answer that one.

"She and Billy could pass as twins." Miller said. "They look a lot alike except Billy's eyes are brown, and he doesn't have freckles."

"He's a little girly looking." Bethany added.

"Wait. Did you say you left your daughter behind? And you are recently widowed?" Reiben said in surprise. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Billy wouldn't have lasted a day out here." Bethany replied. "That and Sarah would be a better mother to Naomi than I would am."

"Now Beth that's not true." Miller said looking back at her. Bethany avoided his eyes.

"Sure it is." Bethany said quietly. "All I ever did since the moment I had her was yell at Jonah to shut her up. Or I'd go off and not come back for days. I was hardly in her life. You even told me that before you left."

Miller sighed. "I said step up and be the mother you could be. You worked two days straight to buy her that doll she wanted for her second birthday. And you were the first one to learn sign language when we found out she had gone deaf."

Bethany shook her head. She knew he was just trying to keep her spirits up.

"So Bethany, how old is your little girl?" Jackson asked. Bethany smiled at him.

"Five." She replied. Bethany took out a picture and showed it to him. "My brother sent that to me a couple of weeks ago."

"She's a doll." Jackson said handing the picture back. "Bet she's a little hellion."

"Oh she is." Miller replied. "Just like her mother."

Bethany shook her head at her father but smirked. She couldn't help it. She had missed her father a lot.

The men were a little confused about Bethany. No one knew Miller had kids. Horvath didn't even know till a couple days before. Now he seemed like a whole different man with Bethany around.

Silence had once again come over the group once again. Captain Miller looked over his shoulder every once in a while to watch Bethany. He wasn't used to her being so quite. She usually would have made some sort of noise after two minutes of silence. But she was just as quiet as the rest of the group. She wasn't even the first one to break the silence.

Upham walked up to Mellish and tapped him on the shoulder, causing the man to jump a bit.

"hey, you want your head blown off, you fancy little fuck?" Mellish asked. Bethany knew just by his reaction that Upham was new to the group. "Don't you ever fuckin' touch me with those little rat claws again. Get the fuck back in formation."

"I was wondering where you're from, that's..." Upham said but cut off the past part of his sentence when Mellish glared at him. Upham bowed his head and walked up to Caparzo, who was smoking a cigarette. Bethany kept an ear on the upcoming conversation, as she kept her eyes on her surroundings.

"Caparzo, is it?" Upham asked.

"Hey, drop dead, Corporal." Caparzo replied. He didn't even give Upham a chance.

"Got you." Upham said a little defeated. Bethany smirked knowing how hard some men could be to get along with. It seemed worse with new men.

"And another thing, every time you salute the captain, you make him a target for the Germans." Caparzo said making the small man feel even worse. "Do us a favor. Don't do it. Especially when I'm standing next to him, capisci?"

"Capisci?" Upham said not sure what the word ment. Wade seemed to feel sorry for Upham and fell back to start a conversation with him. Bethany took a heavy sigh and walked up to Jackson, who was right behind her father.

"Get tired of Mellish and Caparzo?" Jackson asked with a smirk. Bethany smirked a bit.

"A little." Bethany admitted.

"Oh come now Bethany." Caparzo called up to her. "You enjoy our company. Don't lie."

"Caparzo!" Miller called back to the man. Caparzo looked at him funny.

"Yes sir." Caparzo answered.

"Please refrain from hitting on my daughter." Miller replied. "Bethany, stay by Jackson."

Bethany looked over at Jackson then smirked. "You must be the suck up."

Jackson smirked back answering her suspicions.

"You wanna explain the math of this to me? I mean, where's the sense of risking the lives of the 8 of us to save one guy?" Reiben asked from the front of the group.

"Nine." Bethany said. Reiben turned to look at her. "There's nine of us."

"Yeah whatever." Reiben said and giving her a look that said he didn't believe she counted.

"Anybody wanna answer that?" Miller asked knowing Bethany was about to jump Reiben if he didn't say something.

"Reiben, think about the poor bastard's mother." Wade said. Bethany tried not to sigh at the thought of her own mother.

"Hey, Doc, I got a mother, all right." Reiben replied. "I mean, you got a mother, Sarge has got a mother. I mean, shit, I bet even the captain's got a mother."

Reiben turned to look at Miller. Jackson on the other hand looked at Bethany. She shook her head slightly. Her grandmother had died when she was six.

"Well, maybe not the captain, but the rest of us got mothers." Reiben replied. Miller looked back at his daughter and she signed to him.

_Is he always such an ass?_

Miller rolled his eyes._ Yes, and watch your language._

"Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die." Upham said with a smile.

"La la la la la la la la." Mellish sang. He was bound and determined to bust Upham's balls. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean, huh? We're all supposed to die, is that it?"

"Upham's talking about our duty as soldiers." Miller answered for Upham. "We all have orders and have to follow 'em. That supersedes everything, including your mothers."

"Even if you think the mission's FUBAR, sir?" Reiben asked. Bethany rolled her eyes. The only one that saw was Jackson. He just smirked.

"Especially if you think the mission's FUBAR." Miller replied. Bethany signed FUBAR saying she actually agreed with Reiben. Miller gave his daughter a stern look. But he knew she'd never sat it out loud. She would always take his side.

"Sir, I have an opinion on this matter." Jackson said. Bethany had trouble not giggling. Know she knew for a fact that Jackson was a suck up.

"Well, by all means, share it with the squad." Miller replied.

"Well, from my way of thinking, sir, this entire mission is a serious misallocation of valuable military resources." Jackson said and Bethany whispered over at him.

"Way to use big words." She said causing him to smirk. "Keep it going. Big words impress him."

"Yeah go on." Miller said hearing the last part of Bethany's sentence.

"Well, it seems to me, sir, that god gave me a special gift." Jackson said he looked at Bethany who nodded for him to go on. "made me a fine instrument of warfare."

"Reiben, pay attention." Miller called up to the young man. "Now, this is the way to gripe. Continue, Jackson."

"Well, what I mean by that, sir, is that if you was to put me and this here sniper rifle, anywhere up to and including one mile of Adolf Hitler, with a clear line of sight, sir... Pack your bags, fellas. War's over."

"Awe you just went up a few points in his book." Bethany teased. Jackson smirked proudly.

"Oh, that's brilliant, Bumpkin." Reiben said sarcastically. Bethany rolled her eyes and playfully nudged Jackson.

"He's jealous, cause he just went down a few points." Bethany whispered. "If he had any points to lose."

"Hey, girly, how many points do you have to lose?" Reiben said not even looking back at her. "Or does his daughter not have points."

"I got about the same amount of points as you smart ass." Bethany replied. "Probably less considering I'm here and not safe at home."

"Alright that's enough." Miller said glaring back at Bethany instead of Reiben.

"See." Bethany said causing her father to glare even more at her. It was silent once again and Bethany sighed heavily.

"Well lets not all start talking at once." Bethany said sarcastically. Miller gave her a look over her shoulder and she sighed once again. "Ok fine, you all enjoy your silence. I'll shut my mouth."

_Come on dad you all can't always be this quiet._

Miller smirked._ Get used to it._

Bethany rolled her eyes. _I should have stayed with Davis and the rest of his men_. _ At least they talked._

Every one watched the silent conversation going on between Bethany and captain Miller. Sign language was one thing they didn't expect Miller to know. Bethany kept talking in sign language and Miller rolled his eyes. The rest of the men guessed she was in a rant. Not just from Miller's reaction but because she kept signing faster.

"Hey maybe you should teach us some sign language." Wade said finally breaking the silence. Bethany smiled back at him.

"I could. But then you'll understand what I'm telling the captain about you." Bethany replied. Wade gave her and odd look and she giggled. "I'm just teasing you. Yeah I'll teach you guys some if you want me too."

"No cuss words." Miller warned. "They cuss enough as it is.

_Well shit. _Bethany signed and Miller rolled his eyes. She'd be having his men cussing in sign language by the end of the night.


End file.
